Nine Splendid Reasons to Get Your Keister Outdoors This Summer

Including something that's like a kid-friendly Burning Man

By The Editors

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22 May 2017

This is just one installment of 37 Things a Man's Gotta Do This Summer, our annual compendium of everything worth seeing, doing, eating, drinking and generally making time for in your neck of the woods between now and September.

Another summer means street festivals, beach days and other en plein air exploits. Which, for the most part, is why we live here.

Allow us to add a few more reasons, with the nine outdoor adventures every Angeleno should partake of this summer.

Inside (er, outside): a journey to the remains of L.A.’s gold rush, movies on a pool deck and what's basically a family-friendly Burning Man.

Pack some sunblock.

With your friends ...

1. L.A.’s Forgotten Gold RushSanta Clarita, May 27Northern California is known for its gold, but it was also found outside of Santa Clarita in 1842 by Don Francisco Lopez. Go on a two-mile hike with Atlas Obscura to learn more about the Oak of the Golden Dream.Website

2. Rapha RidesLos Angeles, July 28-30Vintage cycling outfitter Rapha is putting on a weekend of group rides and workshops that span from the cultural (lessons with Herman Miller) to the arduous (hidden climbs of Brentwood) to the leisurely (donut rides).Website

3. Hollywood FringeHollywood, June 8-25The immersive theater festival returns to Hollywood with more than 2,000 different performances that’ll rope you in, literally. Some involve treasure hunts; others are on stage.Website

With a special someone ...

4. Mr. C’s Pool CinemaBeverly HillsThere are a bunch of great ways to see movies outdoors in L.A., but Mr. C’s is the most intimate, and it definitely comes with the best food, courtesy of Cipriani’s. You’ll be lounging on comfy day beds on their quaint deck. Our picks: Oceans 11 (June 6), Chocolat (June 20), Jaws (July 11), Sabrina (July 18), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (August 1), Boogie Nights (August 8), Back to the Future (August 15) and Moana (August 22). Website

5. Dwell on DesignLos Angeles, June 24-25Los Angeles is chockablock with modernist abodes worth ogling. Dwell on Design curates a solid list of places to see and separates them by region (Westside on Saturday, Eastside on Sunday). This would make for a great day date so long as it’s not a first date — that might be confused for coming on too strong.Website

6. BenderDowntown and Santa Monica, ongoingBender organizes outdoor yoga sessions complete with a DJ and amazing views. They do them at the Santa Monica Pier and on the roof of the parking deck at the ROW in DTLA. Their teachers come from YogaWorks, and there are lots of assistants that walk around to help with adjustments. Get unified.Website

With the whole fam-damn-ily ...

7. I3 Arts Fest Downtown, June 2-3Grand Park will be transformed into a kid-friendly Burning Man for this two-day festival that spans three outdoor parks in downtown. One of the musical performances is an Earth Harp, which at 900 feet is the world’s tallest instrument.Website

8. Dance Sundays with Debbie AllenBeverly Hills, June 11 - August 27Debbie Allen (Fame) teaches group dance lessons on Sunday’s at the Wallis in Beverly Hills that are both kid-friendly and fairly aerobic. This summer includes lessons in salsa, African dance and hip-hop.Website

This is the first installment of 37 Things a Man's Gotta Do This Summer, our annual compendium of everything worth seeing, doing, eating, drinking and generally making time for in your neck of the woods between now and September.